INTERNATIONAL SHIPMENT RULES

International shipment of letters and parcels is a highly regulated affair. Several points need to be checked to ensure distribution in good conditions. The main points to consider are:

• Territorial restrictions : like France, with its DOM TOM overseas territories and departements, many countries have territories with an autonomous postal and/or customs status. These territories may have their own postal system and therefore apply their own customs regulations.
• Address standardization : address characteristics differ from one country to another. Remember to find out and consult the specific postal rules for the country to which you want to send letters or parcels.
• Delivery methods and times : each country has its own delivery methods for letters and parcels which has an impact on delivery times. In some countries, only postal delivery is possible while in other countries, delivery by post can prove to be impossible.
• Public holidays and delivery days : days that delivery is possible can differ from one country to another. For example, the Dutch postal service has stopped delivering on Mondays.
• Customs : when sending a package outside of the European Union, it is the shipper’s responsibility to declare the products sent and their value. These declarations are used by the customs authorities to collect any customs-related duties and taxes for the products shipped. These customs duties can be paid by the shipper or the recipient. Each country has its own tax thresholds and specific rules according to the nature of the product. It is essential that you consult the customs website of the country of destination.
• Prohibited products : some products may be specifically prohibited in some countries. To avoid a return or destruction, it is important to find out the list of prohibited products in the country of destination.
• Languages and currencies : for international shipments, the use of English is imperative. For declarations of value, you can use euros. It is also preferable not to enter zero as the shipment value to avoid any delays or blockages at customs.